


All the Little Things

by Randomhowlter



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Domestic Dan Howell/Phil Lester, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Single Parent Dan Howell, Teacher Phil Lester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2018-12-13 02:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11749857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Randomhowlter/pseuds/Randomhowlter
Summary: Single dad Dan Howell has a hard time realizing how quickly his daughter is growing up.  That is, until he meets her teacher as he drops her off on her first day of school and he realizes: maybe change isn't so bad.





	1. Chapter One

“Are you excited to start school, love?” Dan asked.

Winnie gave him a gap-toothed smile that reached her warm, brown eyes. Eyes that matched his. Up until she had come along, Dan had never thought much of his eyes. But if they gave all that life to his little girl, he wouldn’t trade them for the world.

“Yes, Daddy!” Her smile faltered slightly, “But I’m a little nervous as well, honestly.”

He smiled reassuringly at her, trying to hide his own nerves. He was still getting used to how fast his daughter was growing, and he could hardly believe she was starting school already. She was only four, after all, but Louise believed her communication skills were too advanced to wait.

“Don’t worry, love. Auntie Louise says you’re already smarter than all the kids in her class, and they’re a year older than you! As for making friends, you’re the kindest child I’ve ever met. Just remember to share, and if someone is being rude…” he trailed off, allowing her to pipe up, “...tell them they’re not being very nice, and if that doesn’t work go to the teacher!”

“And if that still doesn’t work?” he continued, grinning.

“Kick their butt!” she giggled and squirmed under her bedsheets. “Will I be in Auntie Louise’s class?” she inquired once she had settled down again.

“I’m afraid not, darling. But you’ll still be able to say hi to her at break, and she’ll check in with you at lunch as well. You see her every weekend for dinner anyway!” he ended with a chuckle. Winnie relaxed. “Alright, darling, that’s enough for now. You’ve got a big day tomorrow! You should get some sleep.” Dan tucked her in, turned on her nightlight, turned off her bedside lamp, and kissed her forehead. He left the room, leaving the door open just a crack.

Exhaling deeply, he went to prepare himself some chamomile tea. It was only 9 PM, but he felt quite tense from fretting the entire day, double and triple checking all of Winnie’s school lists to make sure he had not forgotten to get her anything. He sat down at his laptop with his steaming mug, scrolling through Tumblr as he finished it. Yes, he still used Tumblr. He may be a father, but he was still only 24.

Closing his laptop, he leaned back and stared at the pictures on his desk as he finished the last few sips of his tea. There was one from Winnie’s first birthday, purple icing smeared all over her face. There was also a picture of Dan holding Winnie the day she was born. If someone had shown him that picture before then, he would have scoffed, never believing that he could hold so much love in his eyes. He had been a rather depressed teenager. Some of that still remained, but he hid it for her. He hoped in time it would vanish altogether.

Sighing, he moved to wash his mug before heading to bed. Big day tomorrow.

**********************

“Wake up! Rise and shine!” Dan felt a heavy weight jumping on his bed. Groaning, he cracked open his eye to peek at his clock. He knew he hadn’t slept through the four alarms he had set for himself.

“Winnie, it’s 6:00 in the morning.” he rolled over, hiding his head under his pillow.

“Come ooon, Dad, I want pancakes before we go!”

“Nope, I’m dead. Bleegghhh.”

“You know I hate jokes like that, Daddy,” she whimpered.

“Alright, fine, I’ll make you pancakes.” He peeked out at her from under the pillow before pouncing at her, playfully wrapping her in the blankets. Laughing, he left her to untangle herself as he prepared the ingredients.

“I wanna crack the eggs!” she shouted, having freed herself from his duvet. She ran into the kitchen and hopped on her little step stool. He smiled, guiding her hand to carefully break the egg. She smacked his hand away as she tried to whisk the mixture herself, and he stepped back. He chuckled knowingly as he watched her struggle, until she looked at him with puppy eyes and a pout, causing him to move to help her again.

Just as he was about to pour the first pancake into the pan, she stopped him, staring him directly in the eyes and stating, “Chocolate chips.”

“Of course! How could I be such a horrible father to forget chocolate chips?” he reached for the half-filled bag, “How many would you like, love?”

“All of them!” He eyed her carefully, before deciding to be petty and pouring all but two into the batter, and popping one in his mouth. “Dad!” she whined. He grinned cheekily and handed her the last one.

After they had finished stuffing their faces with pancakes, Winnie ran to get dressed. She had picked out her outfit the night before, refusing any help from him. As he slipped on his moth shirt that he loved so ironically, Winnie ran inside in her new purple dress, with black stockings and a Winnie the Pooh hat that Dan had gotten her for her first birthday. It had been too large for her back then, of course, but she adored the thing, and he was touched that she had chosen to wear it for her first day of school.

He smiled. “Ready to go?”

“As ever!”

**********************

Winnie skipped ahead towards her classroom as excitement overtook her. As Dan’s heart sank slightly to see her so enthusiastic to leave him, she froze, spun around, and ran back to give him a hug. “Love you, Daddy! See you soon! Don’t get into too much trouble without me!” she grinned.

“Of course not, sweet girl,” he said thickly, hugging her a little tighter before letting her go. He smiled warmly. He didn’t normally say things like what he was about to, but he felt the occasion called for some deep words. “The world won’t know what hit it, Winifred Howell. You’ll do amazing things, and this is just the start. Now go ace those ice breaker activities!” She giggled, hugged him quickly once more, and ran into her classroom. He followed her, just to meet the teacher; he refused to be a hover parent who stayed in the classroom for an hour on the first day. Looking around, he could already identify those.

After chatting with some of the other--usually older--parents for a minute to be polite, he was surprised to be approached by another man who seemed to be about his age, if maybe a couple years older. He was immediately taken by the man’s bright eyes. He wasn’t really sure what color they were, they seemed to be green, blue, and yellow all at once. Mostly blue, definitely.

Dan blinked at the man’s outstretched hand, realizing he’d been staring and had completely zoned out. Blushing, he shook his hand, and asked, flustered, “Sorry, what’d you say?”

The man laughed, “It’s alright, happens to the best of us. I’m Phil Lester, I’m the teacher. Which one’s yours?”

Dan blinked, unsure what Phil was referring to for a moment. “Oh! My daughter, Winnie, is over there in the purple dress.” He nodded to where Winnie had already amassed a crowd of children, taken with her wild, yet friendly personality. He smiled slightly, glad she hadn’t inherited his awkwardness from primary school.

“Ah yes! She’s a friendly one, she already located me and introduced herself. Between you and me,” Phil lowered his voice, and Dan found himself leaning in raptly, “I can already tell she’s gonna be my favorite student.” He winked, and Dan blushed yet again. He cursed internally. What was with him today?

 

“I thought teachers weren’t supposed to have favorites?” He joked, attempting to play off his blush. He couldn’t help but be pleased at Phil’s statement, though.

Phil shrugged, “As long as you don’t treat any students unfairly, it’s hardly an issue, nor a thing you can really help.” Dan nodded. He opened his mouth to continue the conversation, fascinated with this man, but Phil clapped suddenly, grinning. “I’d love to chat more, but I really should get class started! Feel free to come back and hang around a bit after school,” he said. He faltered, seeming to become shy, “...if you’d like that is,” he continued hopefully.

Dan was unsure what to say, but smiled. “I’d be happy to, Phil!” he said slightly too enthusiastically, then stumbled, “Sorry, should I call you Mr. Lester?”

Phil giggled, seemingly relieved, and Dan nearly swooned at the sound, but somehow managed to keep his composure. “Phil’s just fine,” he said, and Dan smiled.

They both remained staring at each other for slightly too long, before Dan mumbled, “I should go...leave you...to your work…” and broke eye contact to wave to Winnie before he left. He found her already staring at him, glancing between him and her teacher, finally looking back at him to give him a mischievous grin and a rather obvious wink. He blushed even deeper, if that was possible, gave a quick wave, and left hurriedly, hoping Phil had not seen her mischievous display. As embarrassed as he felt, he found that he could not stop smiling as he walked home.


	2. Chapter Two

Dan walked into the school building, towards his daughter’s classroom. It was precisely 3:15 PM. He was early, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to see his little girl again. And maybe also her cute teacher...He shook his head, snapping himself out of a daydream. It was Winnie’s first day, it should be about her.

Dan reached the classroom door, standing in the hallway for a few more minutes when he found it closed. He was relieved that some of the other parents were already there as well to pick up their children. At least he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t bear to be away from his child too long.

The door opened, and the children flooded out towards their parents. As Winnie ran towards him, he engulfed her in a tight hug. Pulling away to ask her about her day, he caught a blue eye staring at him curiously. Blushing, he focused on his daughter.

“Well? How was your first day?” he asked.

Winnie beamed. “It was amazing! Mr. Lester is such a fun teacher! We learned a few letters of the alphabet today, and he was really impressed that I already knew it all! We also sang songs, and read books, and I saw Auntie Louise at lunch, and she said to tell you hello, and I made so many friends, and--” she stopped to take a breath, and Dan laughed at her eagerness.

“Alright, breathe between your words. C’mon, I’m gonna go talk to Mr. Lester for a bit before we go.” Winnie grinned cheekily and wiggled her eyebrows. “Now that’s enough out of you, young lady. I’ve only just met him, anyway.” She ignored him, and took his hand to lead him inside.

Phil was sitting at his desk. Dan noted a tiny stuffed lion sitting on the corner, guarding the basket of sweets that he presumed was a gift from one of the parents. Phil grinned at him, and Dan melted just slightly at the bright smile. “Hey there! Feel free to grab my chair from the reading corner if you’d like to sit.” Dan did so, relieved that none of the other parents had stayed to talk to Phil.

“I’m gonna go read while you chat,” stated Winnie, running off before Dan could stop her.

Phil chuckled. “Your daughter is brilliant! You’re certainly doing something right.”

Dan laughed nervously and blushed. “Oh it’s all her, I just do my best to help.”

Phil smiled warmly, “And help is so important, especially at this age! Give yourself some credit. How was your day?”

Dan thought back to how he had aimlessly walked around the park for hours with nothing to do. He hadn’t had work that day, which was torture when the house was empty. “Oh nothing special, just walked around the park for a while, watched some anime to pass the time. I don’t have work on Mondays, so I didn’t have much to do.”

Phil perked up, “You like anime?”

Dan blushed. “Yeah, a little bit,” he mumbled.

“That’s great! Me too! It’s so hard to find people into anime.”

Dan glanced up in surprise. He had expected Phil to call him weird, like everyone else usually did. He smiled. “Yeah, it really is.”

They continued talking for quite a while. Dan felt strange. It was unfamiliar for someone to actually want to learn more about him. It felt nice.

Phil glanced over at Winnie, who seemed to have gotten bored reading, and had starting playing with building blocks. “I hope this isn’t an inappropriate question, but who’s her mother?” he looked back over at Dan curiously.

“Oh, umm, a college girlfriend. She was rather non-committal, and she would have been a horrible mother, so when we found out she was pregnant, we agreed I would have custody, and she would live her life as she pleased, but she would have no involvement with Winnie.” Dan pursed his lips. He hated talking about Winnie’s mother.

“Oh. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” Phil said quickly, reading Dan’s eyes.

Dan gave a tight smile, “It’s ok. It’s in the past. And Louise is like a mother figure to Winnie, so she’s not growing up entirely without a mother.”

“Louise Pentland? Our year two teacher?” Phil inquired.

“Yeah, that’s her! She’s a great friend, she’s been a big support to me and Winnie. I don’t know what I’d without her honestly,” Dan laughed. “She actually recommended this school. She loves that it allows the students to express themselves freely, and I agreed with her.”

Phil smiled. “Well, I’m glad you think so highly of this place.” He glanced at the clock and frowned. “Oh gosh, I’ve kept you here quite a while, I’m so sorry!”

Dan looked at the clock and was surprised to see that it was nearly 6:00. “Oh wow. It’s entirely on me, I’m sorry to have kept you at your workplace for so long!”

Phil laughed. “It’s ok, I enjoyed the company! I should probably head out, though. I need to prepare tomorrow’s lesson plan. Thank you for staying to talk!”

Dan smiled warmly, “Pleasure was all mine.”

They both helped Winnie clean up the blocks, then went their separate ways after leaving the building. Winnie leaned heavily against him, dragging her feet, as they walked home. It looked like this would be an early night for her. He, however, felt energized, and he doubted he’d sleep at all with those bright blue eyes burned into his memory.

He smiled, feeling warm. This looked like it might shape up to be a nice year.


	3. Chapter 3

“Dad, hurry up! We’re gonna be late!”  
“I’m coming, darling, don’t rush me. I’ll wind up dropping the cake,” Dan said distractedly, concentrating on attempting to balance the cake he was holding while putting on his jacket. “Do you have Susan?”

“Yep!” Winnie grinned, holding up a tiny succulent she had been caring for for the last month.

Dan frowned, “You’re so attached to her, you sure you want Mr. Lester to have her?”

“He’s an amazing teacher and you told me he loves houseplants! He deserves it.” she stated determinedly.

“That he does,” he murmured.

“Think he’ll like our Christmas cake?” she inquired.

“Winnie’s special secret recipe of gingerbread cake with chocolate chips and white chocolate drizzle with just a hint of cinnamon on top? If he doesn’t like it, then we’ll know he’s been kidnapped by aliens and replaced with a clone,” Dan laughed jokingly.

They made to leave, heading towards the address Phil had emailed all the parents for a class Christmas party at his own apartment. While Dan loved Phil’s heart, and how he even thought to throw a party out of his own pocket for his class during break, he couldn’t help but feel slightly concerned that so many people now knew Phil’s home address.

Over the last few months, Dan and Winnie had managed to stay after school nearly every day for at least an hour or two. During this time, Dan and Phil endlessly chatted, while Winnie contented herself with the various toys and books in the classroom.

Despite the fact that they were nothing more than friends, some parents seemed unable to mind their own business, and had gotten the impression that they were a couple. By November, it had resulted in some heated words being hurled toward Phil by one of the other fathers, who seemed not to approve of gay people. Phil, for his credit, kept his cool, and calmly corrected the situation, albeit the father still left rather grudgingly.

Ever since, Dan had been on edge, even telling Phil that it may be better for them not to have any after school chats for a while. Phil would not hear of it. “We’re doing nothing wrong, Dan. They should mind their own business. There’s no reason we should live in fear because they’re suspicious of a conversation between a teacher and a parent. If they have an issue, they can take it up with my superiors, and I doubt they’ll show any interest.”

Dan wasn’t convinced. “What if they try to take matters in their own hands, and attack you or something?” his stomach dropped as he thought of a worse possibility, “What if they come after Winnie?”

Phil had stared at him for a long time before pulling him into a hug. After they pulled apart, he sighed as he wiped away tears that had silently trickled down Dan’s cheek. “If you’re concerned about Winnie, then we can stop talking for a while. I don’t want to put her in any danger.”

Dan had taken a shaky breath. “Just...not here anymore. We can still talk on the phone, but maybe it’s just better to meet outside school if we want to talk after classes?”

Phil smiled slightly and nodded, concern and warmth and...maybe something else glistening in his eye. Dan realized Phil’s hand was still on his face, but made no move to pull away. Instead, he reached up, covering Phil’s hand with his own. He heard Phil gasp slightly, and open his mouth. He looked like he was about to say something else, but instead whispered, “Not here. Dinner at my flat? I’ll text you the address,” before pulling away and pretending to shuffle through some papers.

Dan had stood confused before suddenly feeling eyes boring into him, and turning around to remember Winnie standing in the corner. She stared at him for a second, before turning back to her book. He blinked a few times, breathing slowly to get his heart rate back to normal.

“Let’s go, little bear,” he called to Winnie.

**********************

That evening, he hurriedly dropped Winnie off at Louise’s flat, apologizing profusely for the last minute visit. He kissed his daughter goodbye, before rushing back to their flat to change.

Dan hurried out into the cold November evening air, taking long strides towards the address Phil had texted him. He had been pleased to realize they were well within walking distance of each other.

Arriving at the building, Dan hesitated to knock. He took a deep breath to steel himself before raising his fist to the door and giving two consecutive, gentle knocks.

He waited, wondering if he had knocked too quietly, before Phil opened the door, out of breath. There was some flour on his nose. “Sorry, I had to remake the pancake batter, as the first batch had a sudden meeting with the floor.”

Dan gave a confused laugh, “We’re having pancakes for dinner?”

Phil grinned. “Yes!” he faltered, “I can make something else if you want.”

“No, no, I love pancakes!”

His smile lit up the corridor again, and Dan melted slightly. “With chocolate chips, right?”

“I’m surprised you remembered,” Dan mumbled, blushing.

“Of course I remember! Come in, we’re not gonna stand here all evening.”

Dan followed him inside. The interior was as bright and haphazard as he had expected. An impressive number of video games and anime were stuffed into the many bookshelves in the living room. The only thing that could have possibly outnumbered them were the countless houseplants of many sizes that seemed to be everywhere. Most of them seemed well cared for, if slightly wilted.

The kitchen was small, but cozy. Small cacti and succulents lined the counters, seeming to be much better off than the other plants in the living room.

Phil hummed as he waited to flip the pancake. “Where’s Winnie?”

Dan paled for a moment, “She’s at Louise’s. I thought you might have wanted…” he trailed off.

“Ah of course, I was just making sure you didn’t leave her alone on my account.”

“How bad of a parent do you think I am?” Dan whined jokingly.

Phil giggled nervously, “That’s not what I meant! I mean--” Dan cut him off with a loud laugh, and Phil relaxed.

“I was just joking with you, no need to get nervous.” They settled into an easy, comfortable silence as Phil finished cooking and Dan continued to take in his surroundings. He was surrounded by everything Phil was. The small flat was so fitting of him it was almost as if Phil had exploded his beautiful energy all over the place. Phil was an infectious person. He affected everything he touched, everything he looked at. He had a profound impact on the children he taught. All the parents agreed on that, even the one that had argued with Phil. He could walk into a jail cell or a graveyard and instantly turn it into a more cheerful place.

Dan turned his attention to the man beside him. His mind was suddenly filled with the image of soft morning light pouring through the kitchen window, as he and Phil skillfully maneuvered around Winnie to gather ingredients for breakfast. Winnie, as usual, demanded to crack the eggs, and Phil smoothly moved to help her, all the while humming a tune of his own creation. He glanced at Dan, flour on his nose, and smiled.

“Dan? Are you alright?”

Dan blinked, the morning light gone, and realized he’d been staring at Phil for what seemed like a while. He smiled slightly. “Never better,” he whispered, reaching up to wipe the flour from Phil’s face. His hand hovered by Phil’s cheek. Phil reached up and covered Dan’s hand in his, pressing their fingers together against his cheek. He smiled.

“Pancakes are ready,” he said quietly, “Do you want to…?” He trailed off.

Dan hummed in agreement, but neither of them moved. His gaze flicked down to Phil’s lips, as he quickly licked his own. He glanced back up to those intense blue eyes watching his own intently. He leaned closer, touching their noses together hesitatingly, before Phil closed the gap, and their lips met.

It was a soft, sweet, gentle kiss, barely a brush of lips, but Dan felt as though he had been struck by lightning, and pulled away gasping.

Phil remained fixed in place, blinking furiously. He breathed in sharply. Still speechless, he grinned sheepishly. “I was hoping that would happen,” he murmured.

Dan smirked knowingly. He leaned into Phil, only to swoop around him to grab the plate of rapidly cooling pancakes before walking to the table, laughing. Phil chuckled and shook his head, following.

As they ate, Dan sent a rapid text to Louise asking her to keep Winnie for the night. She responded with nothing but a winky face and Dan blushed furiously.

They talked with the same ease that they always did, but with a renewed vigor that came when the spark of crush ignited into something more.

**********************

Dan woke up the next morning in a bedroom that wasn’t his, yet one that felt oddly like home. He inhaled slowly, taking in the arms around his bare chest, the pajama pants that weren’t his, the blue and green sheets that were so different from his own black and grey ones. He closed his eyes as he exhaled, remembering the previous night, the stolen kisses through dinner, the soft cuddles while watching Phil’s favorite anime, the slow shift from the couch to the bedroom, the rhythm of Phil’s breathing against his back as they drifted to sleep.

Phil shifted, waking slightly as he took a deep breath and pulled Dan closer.

“Good morning, love,” Dan murmured, his smile pouring into his voice. Phil groaned in response, not fully awake yet. Dan laughed quietly and hummed. He shifted out of Phil’s grasp, ignoring his whines. Turning, he kissed Phil on the cheek before heading to the dining room to call Louise and check on Winnie.

**********************

“What are you thinking about, Daddy?” Winnie’s voice brought Dan out of his warm memory of that first night back to the cold December night.

He cleared his throat. “Nothing special, darling.”

Winnie was silent for a moment. “But Mr. Lester is special, though.”

Dan was astounded as usual by how easily his almost five-year-old daughter could read his mind. He smiled. “Yes, love, he really is.”

“Do you love him?”

Having almost reached Phil’s flat and the holiday party, Dan slowed his pace, thinking. He and Phil hadn’t really vocalized their feelings. But he thought back to that night; to the image of a complete family, happy and making breakfast. He thought back to all of their after-school conversations, to the warm feeling he got every time Phil laughed, how everything went still as if time stopped in awe of the pure joy that radiated from this man. He thought of Phil’s blue eyes, how they sometimes almost changed color with his mood...how they seemed to look their bluest when they were looking at him. He thought of that feeling he got when Phil was in the room. Like the world was a little fuller, and the emptiness he normally felt was dissolving.

“I guess I do, little bear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long to put up, the last couple of weeks have been insane. That being said, this isn't my best chapter, and I apologize for that, but again, I have been incredibly busy the last few weeks. Thankfully, things are starting to calm down, so I'll be able to hopefully post a little bit more consistently. Thanks for being so patient, everyone!


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry this chapter took so long, but school has punched me in the gut. Thank you for your patience! On the bright side, two chapters published at once! AND one of them is the epilogue! Coming up right after I post this! Enjoy! :)

Despite the warmth basking in his memories provided, Dan could not shake the feeling of nervousness at encountering the other parents again. Though he and Phil had made sure not to meet at the school since that day, he still felt apprehensive about facing a certain threatening homophobe. Perhaps he wouldn’t go?

As he and Winnie arrived, she ran ahead to ring the doorbell. Phil opened the door, beaming down at her. “There’s my favorite student! I can say that since there’s no one here yet,” he laughed. Dan took in Phil’s jumper, depicting a UFO stealing presents with its tractor beam. He chuckled, then quickly kissed him on the cheek after ensuring no one was yet around. Phil blushed and his smile further brightened, if that was even possible.

Heading inside, Dan placed the cake on the kitchen counter. Once Phil had closed the door, Winnie presented him with the little succulent. “Her name’s Susan!”

Phil looked delighted. “She’s beautiful! For me?”

“Yes! Merry Christmas, Mr. Lester! I don’t ever want another teacher for my WHOLE LIFE!”

Phil looked like he was about to cry. He laughed quietly, “Unfortunately, you will have other teachers, but I hope to still be a big part of your life, little bear.” Dan’s heart flipped. He knew Phil would remain in their lives for a long time. He would make sure of it.

“Is there anything that still needs to be set up that we can help with?” he asked, as Phil gently placed Susan at the center of his dining table, next to his other favorite tiny plants.

“I don’t think so, we can just relax until everyone arrives. Louise is coming, yeah?” Phil had asked Dan to invite Louise. Even though she was his co-worker, he knew she was closer to Dan, and he also knew that having her there would ease Dan’s mind.

“Yeah, but knowing her, she’ll be late.” Dan chuckled.

“Can I go play?” asked Winnie.

“Of course, darling. But I only have video games he--,” Phil trailed off as Winnie shot away.

Dan laughed. “Don’t worry, love, I’ve trained her well in the ways of Mario Kart already, she’ll be fine.” He stepped closer. “I’m sure we could find something to do while we wait for others to arrive.”

Phil’s eye twinkled, and before Dan could do anything more, he had already pressed their lips together. Dan melted into the kiss, as he usually did, his hand gripping Phil’s back. Phil’s hand was brushing Dan’s cheek, cupping his face closer.

Their intimate moment was cut short by the doorbell, and Winnie ran to answer the door as they hurriedly broke apart. “Winnie, wait!” shouted Dan, rushing behind her as she opened the door.

Dan and Phil both immediately relaxed to see Louise’s beaming face and blonde curls. “Aunt Louise! Yay!” Winnie squealed. “Where’s Darcy?” she immediately demanded. Louise’s daughter was like a big sister to Winnie, and they frequently got into trouble together. Dan would not be surprised if they would grow to be a notorious crime duo.

“Darcy’s having dinner with her dad, but he’ll drop her off when they finish, darling. She’ll be here in time for the cake!” Louise answered. She moved to greet Dan and Phil.

“Thanks for coming, Louise! It’s a shame we hardly get to talk outside of school,” Phil said as he hugged her.

“Well, I’m sure we’ll get plenty more opportunity to talk soon enough,” replied Louise, winking mischievously at them both.

“Count on it.” Dan grinned. He glanced beside him to see Phil blushing furiously, and affectionately brushed his lips to Phil’s cheek, revelling in how Phil’s breath caught at his touch.

The doorbell rang again, and again they had to pull away quickly. Louise looked as though she might scream for the interruption of the cute moment. Composing her face quickly, she stood aside to let Phil answer the door.

As more people began to arrive, Dan found himself growing less and less comfortable. He hadn’t really spent time with any of the other parents, despite Winnie having frequent play dates. He felt incredibly uneasy among so many people that were basically strangers to him. He tried to engage in conversation, but found himself trying not to hyperventilate.

“Daddy, are you ok?” He heard his daughter’s soft voice among the chatter, instantly calming him down.

“Yes, thank you, darling,” he said, bending down to kiss her forehead. This received a few awws from the mothers around him. He looked up to see Phil staring at him warmly from the other side of the room. At the eye contact, Phil blushed and looked away.

As the party went on, Dan relaxed, reminding himself that Louise, Phil, Winnie, and Darcy were there for him if he needed them. He found himself conversing more easily, and connecting with the other parents, who seemed to be forgiving of the fact that he had kind of avoided them up until this point. He had to admit, he was happy to make friends with other parents besides Louise, and he was glad to know the parents of his daughter’s friends.

Above all he was happy to learn that there were other single parents close to his age, PJ and Chris, although he did notice the quiet looks they gave each other when they thought no one was looking. Winnie had, of course, befriended their respective sons, Liam and Kev, so Dan made a mental note to invite them over.

The particular parent that had been aggressive to Phil the month before did not show up until after dinner. His name was Andrew, and he arrived with nothing but a glare. He hadn’t brought his daughter with him either.

Phil, naturally, welcomed him in warmly, “There’s still some food left if you would like, but if you’ve already eaten, we have some delicious cake that some of the other parents brought. Can I get you tea, or anything?”

“No,” the man responded curtly. Phil’s smile faltered a little, and some of the parents glared at Andrew. Dan drew himself up. Every instinct he had was telling him to run and hide, but he was not about to let this man threaten Phil again.

“Where’s Ellie?” Phil asked, not allowing himself to be shaken.

“Home. I wasn’t about to let her come to your filthy house.”

A hurt look crossed Phil’s face, but he quickly hid it. “Excuse me, sir, is there a problem?” Dan stepped in quickly.

Andrew turned to look at him with disgust. “The likes of you aren’t welcome here, understand?”

Winnie grabbed Dan’s hand in alarm. “Dad?” she asked quietly.

“Darling, go to Auntie Louise for a moment.” The entire room had gone still. Dan took a deep breath, suppressing a whimper. “No, I’m afraid I don’t,” he said, addressing Andrew once again.

Andrew opened his mouth again, but was interrupted by Janet, one of the other parents. “If you’re referring to gay people, Andrew, you’ll find they’re very much welcome here, unlike you.” A murmur of agreement rippled across the room.

PJ chimed in, “Phil Lester has been wonderful to our children. He helped Liam come out of his shell, and Chris told me that he helped Kev with his aggression issues as well. He’s connected with our children better than most teachers could, taught them more love and kindness than we probably knew to teach them ourselves. If he’s gay, it changes none of that, and you should be proud that your daughter has such a wonderful role model in her life.”

“I feel sorry that your daughter will probably grow up learning more hate from you than she learned love from his class. If you have a problem, you can easily transfer your daughter elsewhere, but if you even try to harm Phil or Dan, you’ll have to deal with the rest of us.” This came from another parent. Everyone nodded and vocalized their agreement.

Phil was speechless, while Dan was tearing up at the display of solidarity the other parents had done for him. For Phil. Because of Phil. He could hardly believe the impact Phil could have, but then again, thinking about how the man had changed his own life, he actually could believe it.

Andrew was growing red with anger, but he was a coward. He began stepping back, but Dan did not want him to leave just yet. “You know, sometimes I doubt myself as a parent, but then I come across people like you, teaching their children to hate others based on who they love, and I know that I’m not doing so bad with Winnie. There was never a reason for you to believe that something may be going on between Phil and I, but I’m about to give you one.” Dan turned to look at Phil, who had been frozen up until this point. Before he could register what he was doing, he kissed Phil hard. Everyone went silent, but as he pulled away the room erupted with cheers, drowning out Andrew’s yell of disgust and the slam of the door as he left.

Both their faces burned bright red, but they were smiling too hard to care. Winnie ran forward and hugged both of them tightly. Dan picked her up. “Was that man going to hurt you?” she whispered.

“I don’t think he would go that far, love, don’t worry,” replied Phil, tucking one of her dark brown curls behind her ear. She smiled, looking relieved.

“Sorry about that, everyone,” Phil said aloud to the room. The parents met this with immediate denial and reassurance that it was not his fault.

As everyone finished their cake and tea, and the children started to fall asleep on the sofa, people began to leave, on the way out thanking Phil and complimenting Dan’s bravery in standing up to Andrew.

Louise was the last to leave, with Darcy trailing behind. She hugged Dan tightly, whispering in his ear, “I’m so proud of you.” Louise was the only one who knew exactly how much Dan had fought just to defend Phil against Andrew. She moved to hug Phil as well, gushing about how happy she was for the two of them.

Once Louise had gone, Dan realized Winnie had fallen asleep on the couch, clutching that tiny lion plushie that Phil loved. Dan stopped for a moment and smiled softly, before leaning down and kissing her forehead. Phil appeared holding one of his old t-shirts and a thick blanket. “These are for her, so she doesn’t have to sleep in a stiff holiday dress.”

Dan took them, thankful that Phil knew him well enough to know he would feel uncomfortable carrying her home this late. He gently lifted her slightly, trying not to wake her, and slipped off her little dress in favor of the soft t-shirt. Once he covered her with the blanket, he kissed her once more and whispered, “Sweet dreams, little bear,” before turning off the light, and heading into Phil’s bedroom.

Closing the door behind him, he listened to Phil walk around his bathroom. He suddenly got another flash of a life with Phil: laying in bed as he waited for Phil to climb in with him. Winnie was asleep in her room, and they had just put the baby down as well, and they finally had some time to themselves. He felt Phil’s familiar arms close around him, and his lips pressed to his head. He opened his eyes to find Phil really was holding him and kissing him. He smiled and moved to kiss him back, their lips soft against each other’s.

“Merry Christmas, Phil.”

“Merry Christmas, Dan.”


	5. EPILOGUE

“Daddy! Papa! It’s Christmas! Get up!” Winnie jumped on their bed, causing them to groan.

Dan looked at the clock. “Winifred, it is 5 in the morning.”

Winnie whined, “But Daaaaaddd, I wanna make pancakes and open presents and go see Grandma and Grandpa.”

“Well, they won’t be awake either, love.”

She pouted, and turned to Phil, “Papa, can you tell Dad to get up?”

Phil looked at her through lidded eyes. “I vote for sleep too, sorry, little bear.”

Winnie began hitting the blankets with her hands and feet. “Miss Howell, you are almost eight years old, you’re far too old for tantrums. Go to bed, and we’ll come get you when we’re ready to wake up,” Dan chastised.

Winnie sulked back to her room, closing the door behind her.

“Are you actually going back to sleep?” Phil asked, “I won’t be able to after all that.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve managed to make sure Winnie stays out of our room for two hours.” Dan began kissing Phil’s neck, trailing down his chest. Phil laughed softly, and Dan paused, feeling Phil’s chest vibrate. He pressed his ear to Phil’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, and feeling his own synchronize in response. He breathed deeply in rhythm, feeling at peace.

**********************

Dan opened his eyes. His arms were still circled around Phil, but the room seemed lighter. He looked up, meeting Phil’s blue eyes. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“Did I…” Dan trailed off.

“Fall asleep? Yes.”

“Damn it.”

Phil chuckled, and Dan buried himself into the sound. They lay that way for a while, before finally moving to get Winnie for breakfast.

They spent the morning making chocolate chip pancakes. Phil got flour on his nose, as usual, and Dan laughed as he reached out to wipe it off. Phil grabbed his hand before he could pull it away and kissed each finger. Dan could not stop smiling.

Once they finished breakfast, Winnie barely gave them time to get dressed before pulling them out the door to visit the Lesters. This was how the family spent their holidays. Thanksgiving at the Howells’ and Christmas at the Lesters’. They may switch it around in future years, but for now, they liked this system perfectly fine.

Kathryn loved Dan and absolutely adored Winnie, and Mr. and Mrs. Lester spoiled her much more than Dan had ever let his own parents do so. Despite the fact that Dan and Phil were not married, Winnie had been quick to consider them her grandparents, and loved visiting them and her “Uncle Martyn”.

The day was spent with Winnie unwrapping her mountain of presents and proceeding to jump in the pile of wrapping paper like a mound of autumn leaves. She began to build a fort with the boxes, paper, and sofa cushions, and soon the whole family had joined in and built a labyrinth of cardboard and cloth. Mrs. Lester brought cocoa, and they all enjoyed the frothy sweetness in their lair.

After they had taken their leave of the Lesters’, they went to Louise’s flat, who had moved into Dan’s old flat when he and Winnie went to live with Phil. On the way, Dan called his own parents and the family wished them a merry Christmas, with a promise to visit the next day.

Winnie and Darcy went out to play in the snow--not before Dan had made sure she was wearing plenty of layers--as the three adults chatted.

“How’s the pregnancy coming along, Louise?” Phil asked.

“Ah, been getting spots of morning sickness still, but it’s getting a lot better! She’s not due for a while, and I’m hoping she stays put long enough for me to finish out most of the school year with my students. I don’t want them having a substitute for too long.” Louise took a sip of her tea.

Dan burst into a huge grin. “She?”

“Oh, blast! It was supposed to be a surprise!” Louise huffed.

Dan laughed, “It’s alright, we’ll keep the secret.” Phil nodded in agreement as he got up to go to the bathroom.

“As long as you can keep mine,” Dan continued when Phil was out of earshot.

Louise looked at him, intrigued.

Dan pulled a tiny box out of his pocket, and opened it, revealing a silver ring with a beautiful, intricately carved design around the band. “Winnie helped me pick it.”

Louise sighed at the marvel, then her eyes quickly widened as she realized what he meant. “You’re going to--!”

“Shh, not so loud,” Dan shushed, but he was smiling so widely it hurt. “Can you keep Winnie tonight? I’ll pick her up early since we’re visiting my parents.”

“Of course! She has her own drawer and toothbrush here, I could keep her forever at this point,” Louise teased.

“You could, but I’m rather fond of her,” Dan laughed. He quickly put the ring away upon hearing the toilet flush.

He stood as Phil entered the room. “Let’s go home and get ready,” he said quickly.

“Get ready for what?” Phil asked lightly, confused.

“I have a surprise. Winnie is staying here tonight.”

“A surprise?” Phil perked up, intrigued, “What kind of surprise?”

Dan chuckled, “I can’t tell you, now, can I?”

Phil pouted, “Well, what am I supposed to wear?”

“Something nice, but not too fancy.”

Phil glanced at Louise, who looked like she was about to strain a muscle trying not to give anything away. She took a deep breath to neutralize her face, and shrugged, refusing to make eye contact with him.

“Ok…” he moved towards the door, grabbing Dan’s jacket and helping him into it.

“Bye, Louise!” they shouted, kissing the girls goodbye as they walked back in past them.

**********************

After changing quickly, Dan grabbed a basket and led Phil back to Louise’s apartment building. Phil questioningly raised his eyebrows as the elevator ascended past her floor. Dan winked.

They got off the elevator and ascended one last flight of stairs that presumably led to the roof. Except, they had stepped onto a very warm landing. Phil was surprised to see what looked like a greenhouse garden on the roof. He stood completely still, mouth agape, taking it all in. “Wow!”

Dan was beaming at him. “I forgot my old landlord had done this until recently, and he was nice enough to allow me to bring you up here tonight.”

“But why? There’s no special occasion!” Phil exclaimed.

Dan smirked, “Can’t I treat my boyfriend to a nice date on Christmas?”

“I’m thoroughly suspicious of you, Daniel James Howell.”

Dan laughed. “I just wanted to do something to show you how much I love you,” he said, kissing Phil on the cheek.

Phil regarded him warily, trying not to smile. “Says the man who screams in my ear everytime we play any video game ever.” He giggled slightly.

Dan took his hand and led him to the center of the little greenhouse, where there was a small space that had been covered by a blanket. There was even a bottle of what looked like champagne on it. “Champagne?” Phil said, impressed.

“I didn’t bring that, my landlord must have put it up here as a gift.” He put the basket down, and Phil sat down beside him on the blanket. It was a beautifully cozy little place, and the spot they were in was surrounded by flowers, so the air smelled amazing.

“Maybe I should ask him some tips on how to keep plants alive,” Phil joked.

“You kept Susan alive!” Dan protested.

Phil looked him straight in the eyes. “Dan, you’re not ready for the truth, but...I replaced Susan three times. Susan is actually Susan Three.”

Dan gasped dramatically, “I trusted you, Philip Michael Lester. How could you?!” They collapsed in a fit of giggles until they were both gasping for breath.

“Ok, ok, we should eat. I made my stir fry that you love so much, and maybe later we can get milkshakes for dessert?” Dan wasn’t sure why he felt so nervous. Of course he knew that Phil would say yes, but he had to make the moment perfect.

“Sounds amazing.” Phil smiled brightly.

They cracked the champagne to drink along with their dinner, and dug in, talking and laughing between bites. After they had finished, they cleaned everything up and set it aside, and laid down on the blanket with their fingers laced together. They lay quietly, having no need for anything but each other’s presence.

“Will you marry me?”

Dan tensed immediately. “Wh-What?” he stuttered.

Phil sat up, uncertainty in his eyes. “I know that was really sudden, and I don’t even have a ring with me, but I’ve been thinking about it for a really long time, and I have never and will never love anyone as much as you. I already think of Winnie as my daughter, and my parents see you as family, and you’ve defended me and stayed by my side and we’ve had so many amazing times, and I know I’m rambling, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he rushed everything out before Dan could even register anything. “Should I not have asked? I don’t want to scare you away, I’m sor--”

Phil was cut off as Dan grabbed him and pulled him down towards him for a kiss. He broke away. “Of course I’ll marry you!” he said, dizzy with giddiness, “But you stole my moment, you asshole! I was about to propose to you!”

Phil’s blinked, his eyes widening, then he began to laugh hard, snorting a little. He held his stomach and leaned into Dan’s chest, trying to catch his breath. Dan shook his head at him, giggling a little himself.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Phil exclaimed when he had finally regained control of his lungs. “I had no idea! Wow, it was so obvious, too, I can’t believe I’m such an oblivious fool.”

Dan smiled lovingly at him “But you’re--”

“Don’t you dare,” Phil interrupted, giggling again.

“--my oblivious fool,” Dan’s smile turned into a mischievous grin.

He pulled out the little box and opened it, holding it out to Phil, “My turn. Will you marry me? Even though you’re an oblivious fool who’s terrible at Mario Kart and can’t keep plants alive?”

“Hey! I’m not that bad at Mario Kart…” he grumbled.

Dan rolled his eyes, “Phiiillll…” he whined.

“Yes, you ridiculous man, of course I’ll marry you.”

Dan grinned, took the ring out of the box, and slipped it onto Phil’s finger, kissing his hand as he pulled away.

They lay down again, cuddling and holding each other close. “Once we get married, we’ll be able to adopt another baby!” said Phil excitedly.

“One step at a time, love. We’ll plan for that after the wedding,” said Dan calmly, kissing Phil’s neck gently. They fell silent, absorbing each other’s presence. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, bear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I FINISHED THIS FINALLY!! I've had so much fun writing this story, especially creating Winnie's character! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and for coming back with each added chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed this fic, I know it was a pretty simple one, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. Thank you!!  
> ~Reyna :)


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